Advances in Sciences and Humanities 2018; 4(3): 37-44 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ash doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20180403.11 ISSN: 2472-0941 (Print); ISSN: 2472-0984 (Online) Challenges and Coping Strategies of Married Women in Post Disaster Situation: A Study on Khulna District Mithun Mondal 1 , Md Abdur Rashid 2, * , Shimon Rahman 1 , Md. Noman Amin 1 1 Department of Sociology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, Bangladesh 2 Department of Sociology, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Mithun Mondal, Md Abdur Rashid, Shimon Rahman, Md. Noman Amin. Challenges and Coping Strategies of Married Women in Post Disaster Situation: A Study on Khulna District. Advances in Sciences and Humanities. Vol. 4, No. 3, 2018, pp. 37-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20180403.11 Received: July 30, 2018; Accepted: August 20, 2018; Published: September 5, 2018 Abstract: Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country mainly due to its geographic location. Disasters such as floods, river bank erosion, cyclone, tornado, waterlogging, salinity intrusion etc. are gradually intensifying and composing risks for the coastal people especially women in Bangladesh. The aim of this research is to explore the challenges and coping strategies of married women in post disaster situation. Women are in weaker position within the existing gender relationship. This type of gender relationship makes women more vulnerable in post disaster situation. They became more vulnerable in post disaster time because they have to play significant role to protect family and all other things. The field of research was Dacope upazila (Gunari) in the district of Khulna. This study followed mix methodology where questionnaire survey is used for quantitative data and in-dept interview is used for qualitative data. 125 married women (20-60 aged) were selected for surveying and five respondents were selected for in-dept interviewing. The study findings demonstrated that women suffer from many harmful conditions and victim of discrimination by others. They do not get proper treatment and opportunities in disaster situation. They usually try to cope with disasters with their traditional knowledge and arts. Exploring these realities this study suggests that emergency relief facilities, providing necessary support regarding primary and secondary impacts and so on should be in action to reduce vulnerable position of women in disaster prone areas. Keywords: Disaster, Married Women, Coping Strategies, Post-Disaster 1. Introduction Natural disaster is a common annual incident in Bangladesh [1-2]. The country is worst victim of different kinds of disasters like flood, tropical cyclones, tornados, tidal surges, drought and large-scale river erosion etc. These natural calamities cost several lives and properties of the country [3]. Global warming and climate change pulled Bangladesh on the verge of natural calamities prone areas. Specially most of the southern districts of it are at the risk of natural disasters and meteorological disturbances [4]. The coastal region of the country is mostly vulnerable of devastating tropical cyclones that originate in the Bay of Bengal, water contamination, ecosystem destruction caused by rising sea levels and so on [5- 6]. Recently it has witnessed two consecutive cyclones named SIDR in 2007 and AILA in 2009. Paul (2009) found that cyclone SIDR that hit the country on 15th of November 2007 caused about 3,406 deaths and over 55,000 people were victim of physical injuries [7]. In Bangladesh women possess more vulnerable position than male during these disasters due to poverty, social practices, norms, and their marginal position in the social system [8]. Gender biased policies, institutional frameworks and adaptation measures are also responsible for placing women in vulnerable positions. Men usually control the power of income and property distribution, access to credit, decision-making processes, and so forth. Women have limited access and power to practice over these. Even they have no rights to access information [9]. Many women are